The African National Congress (ANC) Veterans League in Limpopo has criticised the ANC National Executive Council’s decision to reinstate the two senior officials who had been suspended for their alleged involvement in the looting and collapse of the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.
The ANC’s Limpopo Deputy Chairperson Florence Radzilani and Treasurer Danny Msiza were suspended from their positions after being heavily implicated by the Reserve Bank’s Great Heist report.
The Integrity Committee of the ANC then recommended that Radzilani and Msiza should step aside in line with resolutions adopted by the 2015 National General Council and the 54th National Conference held in 2017.
However, last week the ANC’s highest decision-making body rescinded the decision.
The Veterans League Acting Secretary in Limpopo, Phiroane Phala, says the move will damage the image and people’s trust in the governing party.
Phala argues that Radzilani and Msiza should have been taken to the party’s disciplinary committee to answer the allegations against them.
The two are alleged to have been masterminds in mobilising municipalities to invest in VBS.
“The ANC Veterans League in Limpopo has noted with serious regret and indignation the decision of the ANC NEC to reinstate two Limpopo provincial officials who were asked to step aside from their positions following the release of the investigation report into the collapse of the VBS Mutual Bank released in October 2018,” Phala told journalists during a media briefing in Polokwane.
In the video below, seven suspects in the VBS saga appear before court:
The veterans league is now calling on the ANC NEC to review its decision. “As the ANC Veterans League in Limpopo we, therefore, wish to make a call to the ANC NEC to review, reconsider and set aside the decision to reinstate the two officials, lives have been lost in the fight against corruption, senior citizens stokvels, burial societies, and ordinary men and women lost their hard-earned savings as a result of the looting at VBS,” Phala explains.
The Veterans League argues that the planned engagements with various structures will not be any help as justice won’t be done. They also want the two officials to face the law.
Nine people are currently on trial for their alleged involvement in the VBS saga.
